The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-06-01
THE NATURAL-GAS QUESTION.

THE NATURAL-GAs QUESTION.
There is foolish or dangerous talk
than that which advocates waiting race"
for indianapolis. It sounds very we'll to say
that indianapolis has within itself all the ele-
ments necessary to make great city without
natural gas, and that if natural gas be not
brought into use here for two or three years,
or not at all for that matter, Indianapolis will
yet proceed upon an un broken career of pros
perity. All that sort of talk is mere babble;
and if it be listened to, the city will find itself
outdone in the race now on between cities in
this general territory. Larger cities
than Indianapolis have been dstanced,
absolutely shut out Trade and industry
have left them, passed them by on the other
side; sought places where the spirit was more
congenial, and towns that could have been
that could have been more than they are have
been arrested in their development. The
conditions of business and industry
changing by reason of the discovery and rapid
utilization of natural gas as a fuel.
indianapolis must be up and abreast
of the times, or it must suffer
severely. The railway train will not
wait the movements of the stage coach
and natural gas will not wait on laggard coal,
and coke, and wood. If Indianapolis expects
to be able to take its own time and to dictate
absolutely its own terms before it will
change the stage coach for the railroad, or
wood, and coke, and coal for natural gas, it is
fatally mistaken; that is all.
The Journal does not believe in stage-coach
conservatism. Breeding is good, but it is
the trace that draws the load. Conservatism
is valuable, but it is progress that goes ahead
The advance should not be reckless,
ardly or selfish. The dangers confronting
Indianapolis are selfshness and timidity.
These forces are working hand in hand to
retard the advancement and prosperity of the
city. We can wait for natural gas one year,
two years, ten years. We can go on and burn
tallow-dips while ali our neighbors are using
the electric light. We can put our hands in
our pockets, and say that will not bulge
step unless the new order of things comes to
us unbidden, and fairly forces itself upon US.
If we do, other places will have invited the
new conditions; steam will forge ahead of
mule-power, electric light will outshine
tallow candles, and natural gas will
Guido coal and wood. If indianapolis
is to go ahead it must get in with and keep
abreast of the advance in the times and in
conditions. 1t is folly to talk of resting on
our oars for a year two, while towns and
cities all about us are pulsating with the new
life and the new ideas. When the new con-
ditions have worked their changes. and trade
and manufacture have adjusted themselves to
the new order, Indianapolis will be left out,
side-t tracked. We cannot afford that; and,
Board of Aldermen shall take hold
of the gas ordinance and 80 radi-
cally change it as to make it an
invitation to, and not a repulsion
of, natural gas. 1t is not satisfactory to any
body 1t does not please local capital or
local companies. Under its terms no local
company will 60 to work. It has not stimu-
lated dollar of capital. Put the ordinance
into such shape as to invite capital into the
natural gas business; and then, whether it be
local or foreign capital, whether it it be local
or foreign companies that shall engage in
the work, whenever strong company, with
the money in hand and under sufficient bond
to compel an observance of it's con-
tract, shall begin the work of piping
and furnishing natural gas to Indianapolis, the
city will renew the indications of prosperity
that were promising short time ago, when
it was believed that such an orga nization as
the Standard Oil Company ready to invest
one million of dollars here, but which have
been nipped in the bud by the untimely frost
Of hostile legislation in the Council and an
tagonistic organization of local influences.